Characters & Locations
Part 1
California / Argentina
(The 1st Time Though The Simulation)1992 - 1994
Just turning 21 years old Lloyd fell in love with a guy from Argentina who was visiting the United States for the first time. He was a friend of Lloyd's classmate/agent in a college film production class in Los Angeles.
Just turning 21 years old Lloyd fell in love with a guy from Argentina who was visiting the United States for the first time. He was a friend of Lloyd's classmate/agent in a college film production class in Los Angeles.
Lloyd and his classmate, an Agent who's backstory was that she was studying abroad from Argentina, had just finished filming a pretentious black and white avant-garde student film called "Josef K".
Lloyd and his classmate, an Agent who's backstory was that she was studying abroad from Argentina, had just finished filming a pretentious black and white avant-garde student film called "Josef K".
It was a silent film in which the titular protagonist wanders around a surreal landscape where he is haunted by visions that follow him and direct him on his journey. This leads him eventually to his own grave where he looks up startled to see his name being inscribed letter by letter onto the tombstone above him.
It was a silent film in which the titular protagonist wanders around a surreal landscape where he is haunted by visions that follow him and direct him on his journey. This leads him eventually to his own grave where he looks up startled to see his name being inscribed letter by letter onto the tombstone above him.
Around that time an actor friend of Lloyd's classmate came to visit her and to see the United States for the first time. After being introduced, Lloyd and the actor from Argentina spent three months together in Los Angeles during the winter of 1993/1994. Lloyd became his tour guide and showed him all the sights including spending two weeks driving the California coast between Los Angeles and San Fransisco.
Around that time an actor friend of Lloyd's classmate came to visit her and to see the United States for the first time. After being introduced, Lloyd and the actor from Argentina spent three months together in Los Angeles during the winter of 1993/1994. Lloyd became his tour guide and showed him all the sights including spending two weeks driving the California coast between Los Angeles and San Fransisco.
When the actor from Argentina departed, Lloyd began to listen to Spanish language audio cassette courses everyday for hours to learn basic communication skills. He would walk 40 minutes back and forth to work and around the city of Pasadena, California always with his Walkman on him as he tried to teach himself the Spanish language of his first boyfriend. Within 3 months he saved up enough money for a plane ticket.
When the actor from Argentina departed, Lloyd began to listen to Spanish language audio cassette courses everyday for hours to learn basic communication skills. He would walk 40 minutes back and forth to work and around the city of Pasadena, California always with his Walkman on him as he tried to teach himself the Spanish language of his first boyfriend. Within 3 months he saved up enough money for a plane ticket.
Without fear or any concrete plan for what would happen next, Lloyd was on a plane flying from Los Angeles to Argentina in South America. It was his first time outside the USA and only his second time on an airplane. The 18 hour flight that transported him to the other side of the globe wasn't only far away in space but somehow that Argentina of 1994 was existing in a different time.
Without fear or any concrete plan for what would happen next, Lloyd was on a plane flying from Los Angeles to Argentina in South America. It was his first time outside the USA and only his second time on an airplane. The 18 hour flight that transported him to the other side of the globe wasn't only far away in space but somehow that Argentina of 1994 was existing in a different time.
Those first few months were an extreme culture shock that nothing else in Lloyd's life had prepared him for. He realized something quickly that was true in every country he would visit in the future.
Those first few months were an extreme culture shock that nothing else in Lloyd's life had prepared him for. He realized something quickly that was true in every country he would visit in the future.
Everyone he met would make him feel so special and privileged to be from the United States. Everyone wanted to meet and talk with him about what life is like for someone in the USA. Everyone wanted to be his friend.
Everyone he met would make him feel so special and privileged to be from the United States. Everyone wanted to meet and talk with him about what life is like for someone in the USA. Everyone wanted to be his friend.
The USA is like a myth to the people on the rest of the planet. Lloyd also realized, almost immediate, how he could use the language barrier between him and everyone else as a kind of disguise to hide his introverted, paranoid awkwardness.
The USA is like a myth to the people on the rest of the planet. Lloyd also realized, almost immediate, how he could use the language barrier between him and everyone else as a kind of disguise to hide his introverted, paranoid awkwardness.
"Let Your Mind Go and Your Body Will Follow."
- L.A. Story "Let Your Mind Go and Your Body Will Follow."
🌎
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The Actor from Argentina
The Actor from Argentina
was a theater actor and teacher of high school drama with a million friends and everyone loved him. He acted in small theatrical productions and was always surrounded by crazy actors, artists and Agents of The Conspiracy. He hated being on stage but somehow he was always the center of attention. With him every weekend in Argentina there was something to do. Always some party... or dinner... or rehearsal... or event... or something... always something as Lloyd followed his boyfriend and tried to figure out how to understand everyone and be understood. The beginning was difficult because of the language and culture differences. His boyfriend's crazy Argentine friends became Lloyd's friends and that made Lloyd feel less crazy.
was a theater actor and teacher of high school drama with a million friends and everyone loved him. He acted in small theatrical productions and was always surrounded by crazy actors, artists and Agents of The Conspiracy. He hated being on stage but somehow he was always the center of attention. With him every weekend in Argentina there was something to do. Always some party... or dinner... or rehearsal... or event... or something... always something as Lloyd followed his boyfriend and tried to figure out how to understand everyone and be understood. The beginning was difficult because of the language and culture differences. His boyfriend's crazy Argentine friends became Lloyd's friends and that made Lloyd feel less crazy.
Upon arriving in Argentina one thing became immediately clear... no one... absolutely NO ONE could pronounce, read or write the name "LLOYD". In Argentina Spanish two L's sound like JA and a Y sounds like JA. JAOJAD looked and sounded like complete nonsense to everyone. So in an effort to be better understood "Lloyd" became the phonetic and easy to read/write/pronounce version "Loid". And that version stayed with him the rest of his life.
Upon arriving in Argentina one thing became immediately clear... no one... absolutely NO ONE could pronounce, read or write the name "LLOYD". In Argentina Spanish two L's sound like JA and a Y sounds like JA. JAOJAD looked and sounded like complete nonsense to everyone. So in an effort to be better understood "Lloyd" became the phonetic and easy to read/write/pronounce version "Loid". And that version stayed with him the rest of his life.
The South American experience ended after almost 2 years because of his boyfriend's dramatic deportation at the Los Angeles International airport.
The South American experience ended after almost 2 years because of his boyfriend's dramatic deportation at the Los Angeles International airport.
California
California
1993
1993
Loid in Front of Graffiti on a Wall
San Francisco, CASummer 1993
The actor from Argentina & Loid on the Left with Chris J and other Agents of The Conspiracy
Pasadena, CaliforniaWinter 1993
Argentina
Argentina
1994
1994
Aerolineas Argentinas. Loid's First International Flight.
Ezeiza International Airport, Buenos AiresWinter 1994
Old car on a street
Buenos Aires 1994
Colectivo (Bus in Argentina)
Buenos Aires 1994
First Night in Buenos Aires
1994
Carlos Gardel Impersonator Singing Tango on the Street
Buenos Aires1994
Random Characters on a Street
Buenos Aires 1994
Child Hanging out of a Window
Buenos Aires1994
Tango Dancers at a Street Market
Buenos Aires1994
A Cat Among the Tombs in La Recoleta Cemetery
Buenos Aires 1994
A Tomb in La Recoleta Cemetery
Buenos Aires1994
Path of Tombs in La Recoleta Cemetery
Buenos Aires1994
Child on a Colorful Balcony
La Boca, Buenos Aires 1993
Woman on a Bench
La Boca, Buenos Aires 1994
Child on a Colorful Balcony
La Boca, Buenos Aires1994
Loid on "Caminito" in La Boca
Buenos Aires1994
Tango on the Streets
Buenos Aires 1994
To the Center of the City
Buenos Aires 1994
Loid's Reflection on a Street Corner
Buenos Aires1994
Rosario, Argentina. Loid's boyfriend's city
(4 hour drive west of Buenos Aires) 1994
Sinking Ship
Rosario 1994
The Spanish Steps
Rosario1994
Abandoned Train Station
Rosario1994
A Black Cat on an abandoned Train Track
Rosario 1994
Loid's boyfriend on an abandoned Train
Rosario 1994
Abandoned Train Station
Rosario1994
Agents posing near another abandoned Train Station
Rosario, Argentina1994
Agent posing in an Abandoned Train Station
Rosario, Argentina1994
EL GATO NEGRO
EL GATO NEGRO
(The Black Cat)
(The Black Cat)
The final scene in Loid's boyfriend's play "El Gato Negro" (The Black Cat)
Rosario, Argentina1994
Loid spent countless hours studying and teaching himself the language of this first boyfriend.
Loid spent countless hours studying and teaching himself the language of this first boyfriend.
He really thought he had done all he could to learn the Spanish language used around the world. Nothing couldn't have been further from the truth. That "Official" Spanish is really only the language taught in English schools and spoken by Television news anchors. Imagine how people speak English in Phoenix, Arizona USA which has almost no accent and little slang.... compared with how someone from a small northern British village Speaks the English Language. They would have different accents ,different sounds, different expressions, different words for the same objects and concepts. Even completely different ways of saying things compared to what Loid had taught himself.
He really thought he had done all he could to learn the Spanish language used around the world. Nothing couldn't have been further from the truth. That "Official" Spanish is really only the language taught in English schools and spoken by Television news anchors. Imagine how people speak English in Phoenix, Arizona USA which has almost no accent and little slang.... compared with how someone from a small northern British village Speaks the English Language. They would have different accents ,different sounds, different expressions, different words for the same objects and concepts. Even completely different ways of saying things compared to what Loid had taught himself.
During those First few months Loid's boyfriend and their friends were putting on a play in a small theater in Rosario, Argentina. He attended at least 3 rehearsals a week for months as the play went from script to actors on stage exchanging dialogs while the director blocked out the scenes.
During those First few months Loid's boyfriend and their friends were putting on a play in a small theater in Rosario, Argentina. He attended at least 3 rehearsals a week for months as the play went from script to actors on stage exchanging dialogs while the director blocked out the scenes.
Besides Film. Loid had become very interested in the art of photography. He had the best camera money could buy at that time and he intended to document the details of his adventure on the other side of the world from where he was born.
Besides Film. Loid had become very interested in the art of photography. He had the best camera money could buy at that time and he intended to document the details of his adventure on the other side of the world from where he was born.
Vaguely and though countless repetitions the story slowly unfolded in front of Loid as he struggled though the language barrier to understand what the play was about. Only now almost 30 years later has there been an attempt to verbalized what appeared to have happened on that stage in a small theater in Rosario, Argentina in 1994.
Vaguely and though countless repetitions the story slowly unfolded in front of Loid as he struggled though the language barrier to understand what the play was about. Only now almost 30 years later has there been an attempt to verbalized what appeared to have happened on that stage in a small theater in Rosario, Argentina in 1994.
EL GATO NEGRO
EL GATO NEGRO
A man enters a small bar somewhere. The name of the bar is called, "EL GATO NEGRO" (The Black Cat)" he stumbles around seeming to be already a little drunk. The man walks up to the bar to get a drink and starts a conversion with the bar tender played by Loid's Boyfriend. None of the dialogue's exact meaning can be recalled. Just that at some point after trying to explain his life first to the bar tender who shoos him away only to continue telling his story piece by piece to everyone at every table in the bar. Something about how it's not his fault. Something about how he's the victim of circumstance and fate and bad luck. Near the end of the play a never before seen man enters the bar and the drunk man tries to hide. The Drug Dealer explains to everyone that the drunk man owes him some amount of money for some illegal substance, Not the audience nor the other actors on stage in the bar nor the drug dealer can believe the drug addict's excuses anymore. The drunk runs towards the exit but is cornered by the drug dealer and his switchblade knife. The men's arms and legs entangle like 2 tango dancers until the drunk drug addict stumbles and falls backwards towards the audience. He cries out over and over as he falls to the ground on his back with this head towards the audience (SEE PHOTOGRAPH ABOVE). He cries out to the only person left in the world who would listen or even pretend to care or understand all of the excuses, " MOMMA! MA MOMMA! MOM! MOMMA!?" The play ends with the protagonist continuing to talk with his last dying breath to the last person in his life still listening to his stories and excuses for how he ended up drunk and dead in a bar killed by a drug dealer.
A man enters a small bar somewhere. The name of the bar is called, "EL GATO NEGRO" (The Black Cat)" he stumbles around seeming to be already a little drunk. The man walks up to the bar to get a drink and starts a conversion with the bar tender played by Loid's Boyfriend. None of the dialogue's exact meaning can be recalled. Just that at some point after trying to explain his life first to the bar tender who shoos him away only to continue telling his story piece by piece to everyone at every table in the bar. Something about how it's not his fault. Something about how he's the victim of circumstance and fate and bad luck. Near the end of the play a never before seen man enters the bar and the drunk man tries to hide. The Drug Dealer explains to everyone that the drunk man owes him some amount of money for some illegal substance, Not the audience nor the other actors on stage in the bar nor the drug dealer can believe the drug addict's excuses anymore. The drunk runs towards the exit but is cornered by the drug dealer and his switchblade knife. The men's arms and legs entangle like 2 tango dancers until the drunk drug addict stumbles and falls backwards towards the audience. He cries out over and over as he falls to the ground on his back with this head towards the audience (SEE PHOTOGRAPH ABOVE). He cries out to the only person left in the world who would listen or even pretend to care or understand all of the excuses, " MOMMA! MA MOMMA! MOM! MOMMA!?" The play ends with the protagonist continuing to talk with his last dying breath to the last person in his life still listening to his stories and excuses for how he ended up drunk and dead in a bar killed by a drug dealer.
THE END. EL FIN.
APPLAUSE.
EACH ACTOR WALKS FORWARD TO TAKE THEIR BOWS.
APPLAUSE
ALL ACTORS EVENTUALLY DISAPPEAR BEHIND THE DESCENDING CURTAIN
APPLAUSE.
THE END. EL FIN.
APPLAUSE.
EACH ACTOR WALKS FORWARD TO TAKE THEIR BOWS.
APPLAUSE
ALL ACTORS EVENTUALLY DISAPPEAR BEHIND THE DESCENDING CURTAIN
APPLAUSE.
"Vivir con miedo es como vivir a medias"
- Fran in Strictly Ballroom
"Vivir con miedo es como vivir a medias"
- Fran in Strictly Ballroom
Cast and Crew of Loid's boyfriend's play "El Gato Negro" (The Black Cat)
Rosario, Argentina1994
A Cobblestone Street at night
Rosario 1994
Mis Amigos Son Unos Atorrantes (My Friends Are Whores)
Rosario1994
Random Agent posing with Loid
Rosario 1994
Agents of The Conspiracy
Rosario 1994
Loid in an Abandoned and Decaying Structure with Graffiti.
Mi Amor Te Amare Por Siempre (My Love I will Love You Forever)
Rosario, Argentina
1994
Flag of Argentina
The Deportation
The Deportation
of Loid’s Argentine boyfriend at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) destroyed their plans for a future together.
of Loid’s Argentine boyfriend at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) destroyed their plans for a future together.
After 6 months together in Argentina and about a year after they met, they made a plan. Loid returned to Los Angeles by himself first to get their apartment ready. After a month of anticipation he went to the airport on the day of the arrival in Los Angeles. Loid was thinking this would be the start the rest of their lives together. However the actor from Argentina never made it though the international arrivals gate. Instead Loid found out hours later that his boyfriend had been immediately deported back to Argentina. They didn't even have a chance to see each other or say anything at the airport. In shock and panic Loid arrived back at his apartment to find a message on his answering machine. The immigration police had allowed one phone call. The Argentine boyfriend had been deported and barred from entering the USA for 20 years for possessing a fake Social Security card he was hoping to use to get a job in Los Angeles. It was a different time in the early 90s. Back then the idea of living as an illegal alien in the United States was not as scary as it would become years later after 9/11. At that time in the early 90s there was never any hope of citizenship by getting married. Gay marriage wouldn't be recognized by ether country for decades.
After 6 months together in Argentina and about a year after they met, they made a plan. Loid returned to Los Angeles by himself first to get their apartment ready. After a month of anticipation he went to the airport on the day of the arrival in Los Angeles. Loid was thinking this would be the start the rest of their lives together. However the actor from Argentina never made it though the international arrivals gate. Instead Loid found out hours later that his boyfriend had been immediately deported back to Argentina. They didn't even have a chance to see each other or say anything at the airport. In shock and panic Loid arrived back at his apartment to find a message on his answering machine. The immigration police had allowed one phone call. The Argentine boyfriend had been deported and barred from entering the USA for 20 years for possessing a fake Social Security card he was hoping to use to get a job in Los Angeles. It was a different time in the early 90s. Back then the idea of living as an illegal alien in the United States was not as scary as it would become years later after 9/11. At that time in the early 90s there was never any hope of citizenship by getting married. Gay marriage wouldn't be recognized by ether country for decades.
Within a couple months Loid saved up enough money to travel back to Argentina. He was hoping they could make new plans together but too much had changed between them. The deportation negatively affected both of them and caused too much stress on their relationship. His boyfriend had become bitter with anger after all the dreams for a better life in the United States had been shattered.
Within a couple months Loid saved up enough money to travel back to Argentina. He was hoping they could make new plans together but too much had changed between them. The deportation negatively affected both of them and caused too much stress on their relationship. His boyfriend had become bitter with anger after all the dreams for a better life in the United States had been shattered.
6 months later Loid was on a plane flying back to Los Angeles heartbroken, defeated and alone.
6 months later Loid was on a plane flying back to Los Angeles heartbroken, defeated and alone.
When they first met the actor from Argentina gave Loid a CD of the highlights of the musical Miss Saigon. After the drama of LAX, the song "I Still Believe" became their mantra of hope against all odds. It took years after leaving Argentina before Loid stopped believing.
When they first met the actor from Argentina gave Loid a CD of the highlights of the musical Miss Saigon. After the drama of LAX, the song "I Still Believe" became their mantra of hope against all odds. It took years after leaving Argentina before Loid stopped believing.
CHRONOLOGY
CHRONOLOGY
